Targeted rental assistance programs such as the Alternative Housing Voucher Program (AHVP) and the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP) demonstrate the Commonwealth’s commitment to supporting people with disabilities. AHVP in particular is reserved for non-elderly individuals with disabilities and enables independent living in the community through tenant-based vouchers, serving 741 people in FY24.10 MRVP, while broader in scope, remains a vital resource for low-income households, including those with disabilities, with over $250M allocated in FY 2025.11
Supportive housing models further strengthen the state’s response. Supportive housing encompasses affordable housing coupled with services to provide dignified community-living for vulnerable adults and people living with disabilities. Services, such as Resident-Service Coordinators or case management, are on-site in subsidized housing to help residents access community resources, arrange meals, plan social activities, and manage issues that arise—helping to foster a sense of stability and community. Overall, there are 61 Supportive Housing locations across the state that provide location-specific services to over 8,800 subsidized housing residents.12
Through Chapter 667, Massachusetts supports about 30,000 units of public housing specifically for individuals with disabilities or over the age of 60. However, the program limits the percentage of non-elderly people with disabilities who are allowed to rent to no more than 13.5% of a housing authority’s state-funded elderly and disabled apartments.13 While many are elder-friendly in design, only those built or rehabilitated after 1990 are required to include 5% fully accessible units. On the federal side, 64% of the 51,000 residents who live in federally supported public housing have a disability or are older adults.14
State funding for congregate housing helps create group homes with accessibility features and service coordination, providing stable housing for adults with significant disabilities. In congregate housing, residents have their own private bedroom, and may share the kitchen, dining, and bathroom areas with other residents. There are currently over 40 congregate housing sites in Massachusetts that have the collective capacity to house approximately 500 residents.15
The Housing Navigator MA platform provides a publicly accessible, searchable database of affordable and accessible units. This digital infrastructure has improved transparency and access, offering a foundation for more equitable housing searches. The Common Housing Application for Massachusetts Programs (CHAMP) is a centralized application system that allows individuals to apply for public housing and state rental assistance programs in one place, reducing administrative burden and enhancing access.
Massachusetts empowers a network of Independent Living Centers (ILCs), supported through state contracts, to deliver housing navigation, peer counseling, and rights education. These centers work closely with public agencies and nonprofit developers to ensure that people with disabilities understand their housing rights and can access the supports they need to live independently.
The state has also invested in programs that support accessibility upgrades in existing homes. The Home Modification Loan Program provides low- and no-interest loans to homeowners or landlords to make modifications that enable residents to remain in their homes. Massachusetts law also requires landlords with 10 or more units to provide reasonable modifications for tenants at the expense of the owner. The Affordable Homes Act, signed by Governor Healey in August 2024, unlocked new resources for supporting individuals with accessibility needs. The bill includes $15 million in capital authorizations for accessibility upgrades in state-funded public housing. It also includes $55 million in authorization for the Community Based Housing Program, which is designed to finance integrated housing for people with disabilities who are not already clients of certain state agencies. The Facilities Consolidation Fund is authorized at $70 million to support housing development for clients of the Department of Developmental 14 Services or the Department of Mental Health. The Affordable Homes Act authorizes the Housing Innovations Fund with $200M for alternative models of affordable and supportive housing.16
The state has also taken steps to align service coordination with housing access. MassOptions and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services have integrated housing resources into long-term services and supports, creating Pathways for people with high care needs to remain in the community. The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) continues to advance housing rights, advocating for reasonable accommodations, and advising state agencies on accessibility standards. Massachusetts has laid the groundwork for a more inclusive housing system through infrastructure, rental assistance, home modification funding, legal advocacy, and interagency coordination. Yet the gap between the number of accessible homes and the number of people who need them remains wide.